This episode of Daily Dad is sponsored by BetterHelp.

Welcome to the Daily Dad podcast, where we provide one lesson every single day to help you with your most important job, being a parent.

I'm Ryan Holiday, and I draw these lessons from ancient philosophy, modern psychology, practical wisdom, and insights from parents just like you all over the world.

Thank you for listening, and we hope this helps.

You're too old to act out.

When our kids mess up, we say, aren't you a little old for that? And we have all

sorts of rules of thumb for what things are age appropriate or not. What age they should stop

having accidents. What age they should stop throwing a tantrumat just because they're tired. What age

it stops being okay for other people to have to pick up after them. You're too old to act this way. It's time to grow up.

But unfortunately, we apply the standard to ourselves less often. Whether it's as serious as an affair

or as silly as getting hungry because you've neglected to eat, we seem to forget that we should

be policing ourselves first. Our kids at least are still kids,

even when they're acting a bit beneath their age. You are an adult. What excuse do you have?

We ought not willingly add to old age, which has many of its own problems, the shame of misbehaviors.

That's Cato the Elder, who seems to have really lived up to that second part of his name.

Remind yourself today and every day that you're getting older, that it's time to grow out of these

silly habits you've allowed yourself to fall into. Remind yourself that you're too old to act out,

to stoop this low, to not be responsible for yourself. It doesn't matter if other people are willing to let you

get away with it because you're a success in your field, because you have a patient spouse,

because you're in private. What matters is that you shouldn't let yourself get away with it.

You're too old to act out. And even if you weren't remember, your kids are always watching.

A little fellow follows you.

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